Friday, July 07, 2006

More of Bloomy's blowhard testimony from the Senate immigration hearings, this time regarding the criminal aspect of illegal immigration.Excerpted from the NY POST

July 6, 2006 -- PHILADELPHIA - Fake green cards are a "dime a dozen" on the streets, Mayor Bloomberg testified yesterday before a Senate Committee - after a Post investigation revealed how easy it is to buy the forged documents.

Bloomberg testified at a Senate Judiciary Committee field hearingheld by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) that it's all too easy to get - and use - the fake documents.

"Fake green cards are a dime a dozen," Bloomberg said in anemotionally charged, 16-minute speech at Independence Hall."You can buy one for $50 to $100. Fake Social Security cards are also easily obtained. And for $125 cash, you can get both cards."

"Such a deal!"

The Post reported yesterday that one of its reporters was able toget a high-quality, forged green card and Social Security card for $110 - in under three hours.

Bloomberg said yesterday he wasn't surprised by thepaper's findings. In fact, he joked that Post reporter Douglas Montero, who was able to buy a set of fake cards in Queens, paid too much.

"It looks to me like they paid retail because my understanding is that, for half the price, they could've gotten just as good a green card or Social Security card or driver's license," Bloomberg told reporters after testifying.

"The truth of the matter is, you can buy fake IDs everyplace for next to nothing," he said.

Bloomberg blamed the federal government for turning a blind eye."The federal laws prevent employers from being able to check to see whether the ID is legit," he said, referring to legislation passed in 1986 that required employers to request identification, but didn't give them the authority to verify whether it's real or forged.Bloomberg said the current laws are a joke.

"As a business owner, I know the absurdity of our existing immigration regulations all too well," he said.

"Employers are required to check the status of all job applicants but not to do anything more than eyeball their documents."

He added, "In fact, hypocritically, under a federal law that Congress wrote, employers are not even permitted to ask probing questions."

This, from a mayor who has signed "sanctuary" laws that contravene federal law regarding illegal immigration? Apparently, he finds it funny that any potential terrorist can get ID as easily as Mr. Montero did. Bloomy for President, anyone?